Each day we see images of the devastating wildfires taking place in the Los Angeles area.

READ MORE: Is Montana being overrun by tourists?

When it is all said and done, it will most likely be the most expensive wildfire in our history. Not only has there been the loss of life, but thousands of homes have been destroyed, including many celebrity homes.

While the media tends to focus on those celebrities, many more normal folks are now without a home and likely don't have access to the millions of dollars that those who are famous have. Plus, let's just be honest, it seems that there is some strange fixation on the rich and famous among the media.

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Here in Montana, we're not strangers to wildfires we tend to have our share each year with hundreds of thousands of acres being burned.

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However, some of those fires are worse than others. Not every fire leads to massive destruction and the loss of life, but when you think of the most devastating fire in Montana history everyone refers to, the fire of 1910, or as it is often referred to, The Big Burn.

What is the worst fire in Montana history?

In the summer of 1910, the region was in a drought, and lighting strikes had caused several small fires, however, as the summer progressed the fire became larger. The fire is believed to be the biggest in the country destroying millions of acres in Montana, Washington, Idaho, and parts of Canada.

Over 80 people lost their lives in the fire, many of those were brave men fighting the fires. The Big Burn would forever change the way that fires were fought.

Where does the Big Burn rank in the history of American wildfires?

According to USCulture, the Big Burn is ranked as the 2nd worst fire in American history with the first being the Peshtigo Fire of 1871. The Big Burn wasn't the only local fire that made the list, the Yellowstone Fire of 1988 ranked 11th.

Of course, fire isn't the only natural disaster that has happened here in Montana, check out the worst man-made and natural disasters that have taken place in Montana below.

Montana's 8 Worst Natural And Man-Made Disasters

Over the years, Montana has experienced significant natural and man-made disasters that have resulted in not only the loss of lives, but millions of acres lost, along with tens of millions of dollars in damages.

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

Montana's Top 5 Largest Private Land Owners

One of the hot topics here in Big Sky Country is the selling of property. Over the last couple of decades, wealthy individuals and companies have come to Montana and purchased millions of acres of land. This has caused panic among many residents of the state, especially when it comes to access to public lands.

Here's a look at the Top 5 largest private land owners in Montana according to AZ Animals

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF

 

 

 

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